IT'S A SHAME that Tim Lovelace isn't as good at recognizing racism as he is at spewing nonsensical outrage over its alleged presence. That also goes for several other students who, like Lovelace, expressed their vehement anger over a "medallion party" held by Architecture students March 1. The party was advertised in an e-mail to the entire Architecture School under the title "Callin' all playaz and chickenheadz," which, according to Lovelace in his March 7 column "Racist revelry," was written in "racially coded terminology." Lovelace continued to rant that the party "evoked racial stereotypes" and even that it "exemplifies modern-day racism." It's ridiculous claims like these that fuel racial tension, create unfounded anger and ultimately increase the self-segregation that die-hard diversity advocates are always so loudly lamenting.
The party was racially benign. It has only become controversial through the griping of some over-eager activists who have resorted to conjuring up phantoms of racial oppression to alleviate their own uneasy state of idleness. Unable to combat horrible church burnings and blatantly racist violence like their heroes of the 1960s, individuals like Lovelace now demonize innocent students and hurl lofty-sounding accusations to make themselves feel like they are continuing the fight for civil rights. So sadly here we are, wading up to our necks in a stagnant pool of silly charges about racism and stereotyping. One Architecture student told the entire Architecture School in an e-mail that the party was "just as bad as white students dressing in blackface," and that it would be the same as having a "white trash" theme party. She went on to demand a public apology for the party and the e-mail that advertised it.
It's doubtful that the party was meant to make any social commentary whatsoever. Probably it was just a slightly new way for students to get drunk and grope each other on a Friday night. The same old monotonous drunken debauchery gets old after a while.
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But if the party was "mocking" anything, as has been alleged, it was mocking the aspects of drugs, violence and ignorant decadence that are an integral part of hip-hop culture. The party was nothing like dressing in blackface, because it did not target an entire group of dark-skinned people. And who cares if anyone throws a white trash party? My friend attended one over Spring Break. The malt liquor drinking and medallion wearing that took place at the Architecture School party are no more a part of black culture than trailer-park scenes of domestic violence, alcoholism and repeated shirtless appearances on the TV show "Cops" are a part of white culture.
Perhaps the Architecture School e-mail list was not the best way to advertise the March 1 party, but not because of any "racially coded terminology" or other such politically correct drivel. It just might be that school e-mail lists shouldn't be used to trumpet underage drinking, but that's an entirely different debate. The party in question wasn't remotely racist, and to condemn it as such only incites controversy and sparks an adversarial atmosphere between racial groups that already interact with each other on a noticeably limited basis around Grounds.
Those who claim to be offended by a white trash or medallion theme party need to get their heads out of the clouds and plant their feet back on planet Earth. By publicly stating racial outrage and crying racism over such a silly non-issue, would-be civil rights advocates lose their credibility with the majority of the public. When such advocates come to be seen as thin-skinned whiners who take offense at every little quip, no one will listen to them when they start screaming about an issue that actually warrants some outrage. By banging their sword of protest against an innocent brick wall of imaginary racism, they're dulling their blade for when they might need it at its sharpest.
And need it they very well will. For outside of malt liquor-guzzling parties of intoxicated playaz and chickenheadz, there actually are lingering bits of resilient racism worthy of Lovelace's wrath. If only he could find them, he wouldn't have to invent his own. But with imaginary bigots as nasty as those he paints a picture of, who needs actual ones?
(Anthony Dick is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at adick@cavalierdaily.com.)
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